The Five-Year Engagement

Nicholas Stoller

About the Movie

From the producer of Bridesmaids and the director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall comes an irreverent comedy about an engaged couple who keep getting tripped up on their long walk down the aisle. Tom (Jason Segel) and Violet (Emily Blunt) seem destined to live happily ever after, but as one hysterical delay follows another, everyone starts to wonder: can they survive the engagement? Co-starring Chris Pratt, Alison Brie, Rhys Ifans, Kevin Hart and Mindy Kaling, The Five-Year Engagement “slaps a goofy smile on your face and keeps it there!” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone)

Fresh: Like Apatow's "Funny People," the film is an intentional hybrid: half gag comedy, half open-ended exploration of everything that can go wrong -- and occasionally right -- between two people whom nature, if not society, means to be together. – David Denby, New Yorker, May 1, 2012

Rotten: Some of the comedic material provokes laughter and some doesn't, but nearly all of it feels wrong. It's as if the jokes have been shoehorned into the movie because it was deemed too dramatic. – James Berardinelli, ReelViews, Apr 28, 2012

Customer Reviews

A RAUNCHY ROM-COM THAT'S NOT FOR EVERYONE

by
Broken Headphones

"The Five-Year Engagement" is one of those comedies that you either love or hate. Personally, I thought it was fairly entertaining. The film blends over-the-top raunch with occasionally strong storytelling in the same way that most of Judd Apatow's other movies have done in the past, and the characters are charming and funny in an offbeat sort of way. As for everything else, it's mostly just hit or miss. For one, the screenplay has no clear sense of direction. Scenes come and go that serve nothing to the story and leave the viewer wondering why they were even kept in the film at all. Most of them consist of reactionary gross-out gags and completely pointless conversations. It doesn't exactly help that the movie clocks in at a little more than two hours. Honestly, if the run time had been cut by at least thirty minutes, the flick would've been just as enjoyable, if not more so. But I digress. Anyway, even if it does suffer from way too many overlong and unnecessary scenes, "Engagement" still stands on its own as a solid rom-com. Jason Segel and Emily Blunt share an easily believable, relaxed chemistry together as the film's newly engaged couple whose relationship becomes strained when they continuously delay their wedding. They never come across as the type of couple you'd expect to see in a typical R-rated romance, and their dialogue feels remarkably genuine and unforced. Although I can hardly say the same about Chris Pratt and Alison Brie's annoying, awkward characters. Overall, I enjoyed "The Five-Year Engagement", despite all of its narrative problems. If the run time hadn't been so aggressively long and the script had a deeper consistent focus, perhaps the movie would've been more entertaining. But for what it delivers, it's a witty, heartfelt romantic comedy that benefits from its charming cast and impressive balance of humor and drama. Granted, it's definitely not suited for everyone's tastes. If you're a big fan of Judd Apatow's directorial movies ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin", "Knocked Up", "Funny People"), this film is well worth seeing. If not, then it might be best to skip it. And even if you're not completely sure, there's no harm in giving it a rent. Just remember to keep your expectations at a reasonable level.

Fantastically Enjoyable

by
Tony the Critic

Can Judd Apatow ever go wrong? Not in my book, heck not ever. The Five Year Engagement proves my opinion fairly true. What could have been a mediocre and sappy romantic comedy, Apatow, Segel, Stoller and crew manage to make a surprisingly amazing thing out of this. Segel and Blunt make the sweetest couple in the world, with a real down to earth vibe towards them that brings in some unexpected hilarity, one you usually don't find in a romantic comedy. The supporting cast is also a riot, with the exception of Chris Pratt who kind of reminded me of a Ashton Kutcher/Dane Cook love child. However, he had some great zingers, so that made up for it. Also, the film doesn't try to escape any chances at pulling the leg of the audience, providing some really crazy gross-out moments that come straight out of left field, which i truly appreciated. Sure its off focus sometimes, sure it might be sloppy. But undeniably, its hilarious.

CG review

by
gmanggmoney

The jokes in this movie make it easy to overlook the mediocre plot. I mean this movie is just so hilarious that it doesn't need a great plot. This movie is filled with laughter, and real life situations. The two staring actors have lots of chemistry in this movie which make it even better. Its got good comedy, good storyline, good conflict, and good actors. This is a movie you must see.